Tag Archives: halloween

31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 30

by mwgerard Posted on October 30, 2012

Halloween is about staring down that which scares us, by facing it head on and making light of it.  At least in part.

There are common fears of things like the dark, spiders, ghosts or the unknown.  But there are some fears that are less common, less rational.

Amaxophobia – Fear of riding in a car. (To be fair, the idea of riding in a car with Mr. Pumpkinhead is actually rather unnerving.)

Chionophobia – Fear of snow.

Genuphobia – Fear of knees.

Phobophobia – Fear of phobias.

Porphyrophobia – Fear of the color purple.

Athazagoraphobia – Fear of being forgotten.

Koinoniphobia – Fear of rooms.

Podophobia – Fear of feet.

Catoptrophobia – Fear of mirrors.

I hate riding in elevators.  Do you have any unusual fears?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 28

by mwgerard Posted on October 28, 2012

Ghost stories have been popular for centuries.  In a literary sense, these tales often have a moral component.  A warning from past offenses to future generations.

One of the most ancient references to a haunted house comes from the Arabian Nights.

‘To whom doth the big house belong?’

‘To us!’

‘Open it, that I may view it.’

‘Thou hast no business there.’

‘Wherefore?’

‘Because it is haunted, and none nighteth there but in the morning he is a dead man; nor do we use to open the door, when removing the corpse, but mount the terrace-roof of one of
the other two houses and take it up thence.  For this reason my master hath abandoned the house and saith: ‘I will never again
give it to any one.’ ‘

Open it,’ I cried, ‘that I may view it;’ and I said in my mind, ‘This is what I seek; I will pass the night there and in the morning be a dead man and be at peace from this my case.’

So he opened it and I entered and found it a splendid house, without its like.

I won’t tell you what happens after that, but the ghosts have a story to tell.  What’s your favorite ghost story?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 26

by mwgerard Posted on October 26, 2012

Many people enjoy watching scary movies to celebrate Halloween.  Some like gory slasher flicks, but I prefer creepy, moody, psychological films.

Some of the best are by RKO producer and writer Val Lewton (many of them directed by Jacques Tourneur).  They usually run them on TCM this time of year, so keep an eye out — or look for them on Netflix.

Yes, these posters make them look like low budget, B-movies (and they are) but they are actually thoughtful, well-made pictures.

Have you seen any of these?  What are your favorite Halloween movies?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 25

by mwgerard Posted on October 25, 2012

From Ruth Edna Kelley’s The Book of Halloween, a description of a Victorian Halloween:

In 1874, at Balmoral, a royal celebration of Hallowe’en was recorded. Royalty, tenants, and servants bore torches through the grounds and round the estates. In front of the castle was a heap of stuff saved for the occasion. The torches were thrown on. When the fire was burning its liveliest, a hobgoblin appeared, drawing in a car the figure of a witch, surrounded by fairies carrying lances. The people formed a circle about the fire, and the witch was tossed in. Then there were dances to the music of bag-pipes.  - from Chapter VIII

And from the London Times:

“Halloween at Balmoral Castle. – This time-honoured festival was duly celebrated at Balmoral Castle on Saturday evening in a manner not soon to be forgotten by those who took part in its enjoyments.

“As the shades of evening were closing in upon the Strath, numbers of torch-lights were observed approaching the Castle, both from the cottages on the eastern portion of the estate and also those on the west. The torches from the western side were probably the more numerous, and as the different groups gathered together the effect was very fine. Both parties met in front of the Castle, the torch-bearers numbering nearly 100.

“Along with those bearing the torches were a great many people belonging to the neighbourhood. Dancing was commenced by the torch-bearers dancing a “Hulachau” in fine style to the lilting strains of Mr. Ross, the Queen’s Piper. The effect was greatly heightened by the display of bright lights of various colours from the top of the staircase of the tower. After dancing for some time the torch-bearers proceeded round the Castle in martial order, and as they were proceeding down the granite staircase at the north-west corner of the Castle the procession presented a singularly beautiful and romantic appearance.

“Having made the circuit of the Castle, the remainder of the torches were thrown in a pile at the south-west corner, thus forming a large bonfire, which was speedily augmented with other combustibles until it formed a burning mass of huge proportions, round which dancing was spiritedly carried on. The scene at this juncture was one to be long remembered by those who witnessed it. The flames of the bonfire shot up to an immense height, illuminating the Castle wall with a ruddy glare, while the figures of the dancers in their agile and grotesque movements were shown to great advantage.

“Her Majesty witnessed the proceedings with apparent interest for some time, and the company enjoyed themselves none the less heartily on that account.”

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 23

by mwgerard Posted on October 23, 2012

Halloween was often a time for fortune telling and silly games.  A 1929 Halloween party book outlined some games to play.  This is one I had never heard of and was suggested for school:

Each child is told to make a wish. She is then blindfolded and told to turn around several times. She must stand perfectly still while the bandage is removed from her eyes. If she sees the moon (on the blackboard) over her left shoulder, her wish will come true. If she sees it over her right shoulder, her wish will not come true. If she sees it directly in front of her, she will receive a gift. If her back is turned to the moon, she will live to be very old. If there are many children, let several of them be blindfolded at one time, for they simply adore this game and will want to play it several times.
From 1929 Party Book

And this one for parties:

Use a large dish with an equal amount of dried corn and beans. Empty it on the floor and the guests are to grab as much as they can, but boys gather the corn and girls only gather the beans. The one with the most wins, but 5 points are deducted for each wrong kernel or bean.
Dennison’s Party Magazine, October-November 1927

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 22

by mwgerard Posted on October 22, 2012

 

According to Ruth Edna Kelley:

The actions of cats on Hallowe’en betoken good or bad luck. If a cat sits quietly beside any one, he will enjoy a peaceful, prosperous life; if one rubs against him, it brings good luck, doubly good if one jumps into his lap. If a cat yawns near you on Hallowe’en, be alert and do not let opportunity slip by you. If a cat runs from you, you have a secret which will be revealed in seven days.  - from chapter XV

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 21

by mwgerard Posted on October 21, 2012

For some, the best part of Halloween is all the free candy.  And there is a lot of it.

90 million pounds of chocolate are sold for Halloween — more than twice the amount sold at Valentine’s Day.  Over 20 million pounds of that is just candy corn!  The tri-colored chewy confection was invented in 1898 by the Herman Goelitz Confectionary Company of Fairfield, CA.

According to the National Confectioners Association, more than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces—enough to circle the moon nearly 21 times if laid end-to-end.  They also conducted this amusing survey:

Among adults,

  • Four-in-ten (41%) adults admit that they sneak sweets from their own candy bowl.
  • On Halloween night, the majority (52%) of those providing treats to costumed kiddies will be passing out chocolate, while three‐in‐ten will drop hard candy or lollipops into the sacks.
  • 62% of adults will be handing out candy because “it’s a personal favorite” or it’s a household tradition (55%)
  • 43% of grown-up celebrants cite costumes as one of the most indispensable parts of the holiday.
  • About 26% of households will include full-size candy (chocolate and non-chocolate) in their Halloween activities.
  • 90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids’ Halloween trick-or-treat bags.
  • Parents favorite treats to sneak from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags are snack-size chocolate bars (70 percent sneak these), candy-coated chocolate pieces (40 percent), caramels (37 percent) and gum (26 percent).
  • Parents least favorite goodie to take from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags is licorice (18 percent).

Among kids,

  • 30% of kids report that they SORT their candy first when returning home with trick-or-treat loot, others:
    • Savor it (20%)
    • Share it (16%)
    • Stash it (14%)
    • Swap it (7%)
  • Kids say they prefer homes that give: anything made with chocolate (68%) followed by lollipops (9%), gummy candy (7%) and bubble gum or chewing gum (7%)
  • More than 93% of children go trick-or-treating each year.
  • Kids tell us that their favorite treats to receive when trick-or-treating are candy and gum. Eighty-four percent of kids said candy and gum are their favorites over other options like baked goods or small toys.
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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 20

by mwgerard Posted on October 20, 2012

In 1919 Ruth Edna Kelley published The Book of Halloween.  Here she describes a game of “snap-apple”:

A variation of the Irish snap-apple is a hoop hung by strings from the ceiling, round which at intervals are placed bread, apples, cakes, peppers, candies, and candles. The strings are twisted, then let go, and as the hoop revolves, each may step up and get a bite from whatever comes to him. By the taste he determines what the character of his married life will be,–whether wholesome, acid, soft, fiery, or sweet. Whoever bites the candle is twice unfortunate, for he must pay a forfeit too. An apple and a bag of flour are placed on the ends of a stick, and whoever dares to seize a mouthful of apple must risk being blinded by flour. Apples are suspended one to a string in a doorway. As they swing, each guest tries to secure his apple. To blow out a candle as it revolves on a stick requires attention and accuracy of aim.   – from Chapter XV

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 19

by mwgerard Posted on October 19, 2012

This appears to be the earliest recorded instance of trick-or-treating (as we know it) in North America:

“The old time custom of keeping up Hallowe’en was not forgotten last night by the youngsters of the city,” reported the Kingston, Ontario Daily News  in 1866.  ”They had their maskings and their marry-makings, and perambulated the streets after dark in a way which no doubt was mightily amusing to themselves.  There was a great sacrifice of pumpkins from which to make transparent heads and face, lighted up by the unfailing two inches of tallow candle.”

from Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night By Nicholas Rogers

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 18

by mwgerard Posted on October 18, 2012

Time to show you some more photos of the cemeteries we explored on our honeymoon.  There photos were taken at Pere Lachaise, the very famous burying ground in Paris.  It is where such famous people as Jim Morrison, Chopin, and Oscar Wilde.  It is also a beautiful place to wander around.

Have you been to a famous gravesite?  Where was it?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 17

by mwgerard Posted on October 17, 2012

I moved quite a bit when I was younger, but during those years we often lived in New England.  As a kid it was easy to imagine that Halloween was invented in New England.  It just seems so suited for it.  Old cemeteries, tall, reaching trees with with rattling leaves, and creeping darkness that starts in early evening.  The smell of fireplaces and apple cider fill the crisp air.

There may be no more quintessential scary New England story than the Salem Witch Trials.

In the summer of 1692 mass hysteria and accusations flew through colonial Massachusetts.  We learned about this in school, and read The Crucible in high school.  What I wish we had studied was the possible causes of the bizarre chapter in American history.

Print via Son of the South

Looking at it now, with the benefit of 300 years of hindsight, it is clear there was no supernatural aspect of it.  But what did those two girls see?  Why were they having seizures?  How did the event snowball to that level of madness?

 I’ve read two interesting theories.  One suggests that the girls ate or were exposed to ergot

…fungus ergot, which can be found in rye, wheat and other cereal grasses. Toxicologists say that eating ergot-contaminated foods can lead to muscle spasms, vomiting, delusions and hallucinations. Also, the fungus thrives in warm and damp climates—not too unlike the swampy meadows in Salem Village, where rye was the staple grain during the spring and summer months.  Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/brief-salem.html#ixzz29CbtCsK8

The second idea has to do with the subsequent accusatations more than the initial incident.  Two tavern owners were competing for the same business and one accused the other in order to clear the way, so to speak.

As Christine Sismondo writes in America Walks Into A Bar:

However, we can find ample anti-Parris activity going on at Bishop’s tavern, owned by Sarah and Edward Bishop, in ad-dition to the merry-making and shovel-boarding. This popular house of entertainment was rather conveniently located on Ipswich Road, smack-dab in the middle of that arduous commute between the rural farmingarea of Salem Village and the meeting-house in Salem Town. The Bishops weren’t the only entrepreneurs to figure out that Ipswich Road was prime real estate. There were several taverns on this major thoroughfare, from the very north end of the road, where the Bishops, Joshua Rea, and Walter Phillips had hung out shingles, all the way to thesouthern tip and hostler John Proctor. All were Putnam enemies, all had signed a petition opposing the installation of Samuel Parris, most were opposed to the witch trials, and many  were later accused.   ~Pg. 51

What do you think of these ideas?  Do you have a theory?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 15

by mwgerard Posted on October 15, 2012

Ok, we are half way through the 31 Days of Halloween, so I’d say it’s time for a post on the American epitome of the macabre.

We’ll get to the creepy stuff, but did you know these things about him?

  • Poe was a respected, if fearsome, literary critic.
  • Within the Allan home, he was part of the upper crust of Richmond society.
  • After the publication of The Raven, he became a household name and was a popular lecturer.
  • Poe enrolled as a cadet at West Point.
  • He attended grammar school in Scotland and in London.
  • The impressionist painter Manet illustrated a printing of The Raven.

In fact he wasn’t always the gaunt, disheveled recluse.  This is a small portrait of a young Poe.

And 200 years after his birth (he lived to be just 40), we are still obsessed with him — and his stories and poems.  They encompass a disintegrating house (and sanity), the murder of a vulture-eyed man, a rational detective, a buried treasure, a vengeful party guest, a portrait with a horrifying story, and a lost love.

When you look at it in a list like that, it is little wonder he has become iconic both in academia and in popular culture.  A number of Poe’s homes have been saved; one in Philadelphia is part of the National Park Service.

Poe’s wry smile graces everything from iPhone cases, hipster memes, and a fantastic app called iPoe.  There is an NFL team named for one of his poems.  When was the last time football met poetry?  There are t-shirts for you to wear and here you can put a Poe on just about anything.

So here’s to Poe, and Halloween, and being scared by stories that inflame our imagination.  And remember, ”They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 12

by mwgerard Posted on October 12, 2012

One of the scary movies I remember watching as a kid was the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  This was in the 80s, so it was the Disney version, starring Jeff Goldblum.  It looks silly now but at the time it fascinated me.  Not to mention I lived in New England so it looked kind of like Tarrytown all around me.

Arthur Rackham, best known for his drawings of Peter Pan, illustrated The Legend of Sleepy Hollow as well.

I’m fascinated by the inclusion of German folklore in colonial America, playing on the fears of local residents.

Did you watch scary movies as a child?  Or stay up too late reading a scary book?

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GIVEAWAY: YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, YOUR CHILDREN ALL GONE

by mwgerard Posted on October 11, 2012

Just in time for Halloween, the kind folks at Penguin have sent me a giveaway copy of the new creepy book by Stefan Kiesbye, author of Next Door Lived A Girl.

Here is what others are saying:

“Creepy in a way that actually made me quite nervous.” —Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day

“With a chilling twist here and there, a sly, stark wit, and a fascinating cast of lost boys and girls, Your House Is on Fire, Your Children All Gone is part nostalgia trip and part horror show, as honest and heartfelt as The Virgin Suicides in its portrait of adolescent yearning, anxieties, and heartbreak.” —Timothy Schaffert, author of The Coffins of Little Hope

“Full of dark folk magic and frightful, lurid wonder. It casts a spell, winking all the way through every grim detail and shadowy secret.” —Paul Elwork, author of The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead

So, you want to read it now, right?  Well you can win a copy right here.  It’s pretty easy.

1.  In the comments below, leave your name (just your first is fine), email (name [at] domain [dot] com to prevent spam).

2. In the comments below, tell me your favorite thing about Halloween.

3. Post on Twitter or Facebook about this giveaway.

4.  Have a US mailing address.

That’s it!  I will select a winner randomly.  The contest is open until Thursday, October 18 at 5:00 p.m. EST.  Good luck — and Happy Halloween!

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 11

by mwgerard Posted on October 11, 2012

The Victorians, possibly because of their concern about propriety, had numerous superstitions about death and funerals.  These were compiled by Victorians: The Superstistious, The Paranormal and The Insane.

  • If the deceased has lived a good life, flowers would bloom on his grave; but if he has been evil, only weeds would grow.
  • If several deaths occur in the same family, tie a black ribbon to everything left alive that enters the house, even dogs & chickens. This will protect them against deaths spreading further.
  • Never wear anything new to a funeral, especially shoes.
  • You should always cover your mouth while yawning so your spirit doesn’t leave you and the devil never enters your body.
  • It is bad luck to meet a funeral procession head on. If you see one approaching, turn around. It this is unavoidable, hold on to a button until the funeral cortege passes.
  • Large drops of rain warn that there has been a death.
  • Stop the clock in a death room or you will have bad luck.

  • To lock the door of your home after a funeral procession has left the house is bad luck.
  • If you hear a clap of thunder following a burial it indicates that the soul of the departed has reached heaven.
  • If you hear 3 knocks and no one is there, it usually means someone close to you has died. (The superstitious call this the 3 knocks of death.)
  • If you leave something that belongs to you to the deceased, that means to the person will come back to get you.
  • If a firefly/lightening bug get into your house someone will die soon.
  • If you smell roses when none are around someone is going to die.
  • If you don’t hold your breath while going by a graveyard you will not be buried.
  • If you see yourself in a dream, your death will follow.
  • If you see an owl in the daytime, there will be death.
  • If you dream about a birth, someone you know will die.
  •  If it rains in an open grave then someone in the family will die within the year.
  • If a bird pecks on your window or crashes into one, there has been a death.
  • If a sparrow lands on a piano, someone in the home will die.
  • If a picture falls off a wall, there will be a death of someone you know.
  • Never speak ill of the dead because they will come back to haunt you or you will suffer misfortune.
  • Two deaths in the family mean that a third is to follow.
  • The cry of a curlew or the hoot of an owl foretells death.

  • A single snowdrop growing in the garden foretells a death.
  • Having only red & white flowers together in a vase (especially in a hospital) means a death will soon follow.
  • Dropping an umbrella on the floor or opening one in the house means that there will be a murder in the house.
  • A diamond-shaped fold in clean linen portends death.
  • A dog howling at night when someone in the house is sick is a bad omen. It can be reversed by reaching under the bed & turning over a shoe.

It seems like they had a superstition for everything!

Are there any that you follow?


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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 10

by mwgerard Posted on October 10, 2012

Some people believe that Halloween is one night a year when the spirits can come back to  wander among the living.  So it would only follow that it is the best night to have a seance to try to contact the spirits.

Houdini, who spent years debunking false mediums, died on Halloween night.  he promised his wife that if he could come back he would contact her with a secret phrase.  Bess held vigil for ten years each year but she never heard from Harry.

Have you ever been to a fortune teller?  Hand your palms read or your tarot reading?  Or have you attended a seance?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 7

by mwgerard Posted on October 7, 2012

Early photography coincided (perhaps not coincidentally) with a spike in spiritualism, mediums and magic.  Because the common person did not understand the mechanics of photography, it was relatively easy to trick them with photographs — something that could only show reality.

The Perfect Medium is a well written book with hundreds of such photos.  The era, the mentality and the desperation to believe in ghosts is so very evident.

Here are some photos typical of the era.

Ectoplasm, supposedly.
A dangerous visitation
A seance in action

Have you ever been to a seance?  Or taken a photograph with strange results?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 6

by mwgerard Posted on October 6, 2012

I am a great lover of the Victorian Gothic.  Crumbling castles, secret inheritances, madness, and ghosts are things I never get tired of reading about.  I even wrote my Masters thesis on the use of these genre elements in film.

The Southern Gothic is something that I have always felt like I couldn’t quite grasp, like I was always a step behind.  But I am trying again since I made the realization that in order for the Gothic to exist there must be some sort of “greatness lost.”  In England, it could be as widespread as the Dissolution of the Monasteries, or as simple as an estate that has seen better days.  But in all cases there must be some sort of longing for the past amongst the remnants of what used to be.  

via “Shantybellum”

In the American South, it is the antebellum era.  Business and industry were strong, cities and towns were thriving.  Plantations were grand palaces in a New World.  Yet, there was an undercurrent of angst — all of this was possible for a few, by building on the backs of many.  That planation owners lived in mansion like royalty while just a few steps away were slaves lived in hovels was a tension that could only last so long.

The Southern Gothic draws on this and the uneasiness of modern generations whose background lies in a time, in a lifestyle, that no longer exists.  These once gorgeous estates have fallen into disrepair, and in some cases, so has the sanity of their inhabitants.

via “Shantybellum”

So I think I might take another crack at reading some Southern Gothic literature.  And I think I may start with 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey, recommended by The Paris Review, to understand more of the history, the groundwork for this very specific genre.

What do you think of the Southern Gothic?  Do you think there are other regional “gothics”?  What stories or novels represent them?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 5

by mwgerard Posted on October 5, 2012

I always visit an old cemetery when I can.  There is something so comfortable about them.  It’s quiet and peaceful, sometimes with lovely paths or discoveries to make.  It’s not a macabre thing for me; I truly enjoy thinking about the people and the history that is there.

When on our honeymoon last summer I went to no fewer than 5 cemeteries.  Here are some photos of a few of them.  In Edinburgh they had a tradition of listing the person’s occupation, which I thought was great.

Old Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh
Philosopher David Hume, Edinburgh
Author of HOROLOGY, Edinburgh
Old Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh
Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh

 

Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh
Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh
Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh

 

I will post more from other cities during my 31 Days of Halloween posts.

Do you like to visit cemeteries?  Or do you find them frightening?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 2

by mwgerard Posted on October 2, 2012

I’m sure this won’t be the only post in 31 Days of Halloween to feature that great American writer of the Gothic, Edgar Allan Poe.  But did you know he also wrote a The Balloon Hoax of 1844?  It was a very complicated and technical story about two men who  successfully flew across the Atlantic Ocean in a hot air balloon.  You can read the full text here.

It may sound silly to us now, but when news could only travel as fast as a letter or a newspaper, and when the ordinary person didn’t understand complex science, it would have been plausible that such a feat had been accomplished.  For its time, it was one of the ultimate trick-or-treats!

(For more Halloween fun, print out the Poe picture and use as a jack-0-lantern pattern).

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MORE GREAT READS FOR HALLOWEEN

by mwgerard Posted on October 31, 2011

Can’t get enough of ghoulish stories?  Neither can I!  Which means I have even more creepy titles to suggest for Halloween — and any chilly, fall night best spent by the fire.

How about something easy to get into and tough to put down?  Try MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs.  It’s a very fun read and interspersed with strange photographs.

Can’t get enough of salacious mysteries?  Try THE CRADLE IN THE GRAVE by Sophie Hannah.  Frighteningly realistic police procedural.

Read my entire review here. 

A strange disappearance and a race to find the truth are the object of the entirely-true, bone-chilling tale of THE LOST CYCLIST by David Herlihy.

Or try something in the realm of the impossible made entirely plausible in a collection of short stories by Ben Loory.  STORIES FOR THE NIGHTTIME AND SOME FOR THE DAY is unlike anything else.

Science, too, can be terrifying, when we take a look at how far we’ve come.  Check out MEDICAL MUSES: HYSTERIA IN 19TH CENTURY PARIS by Asti Hustvedt and learn about some of the first studied ideas about sanity. 

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GREAT READS FOR HALLOWEEN

by mwgerard Posted on October 14, 2011

October is my favorite month.  It always has been, even when I lived in different parts of the country.  Of course, it’s no coincidence that October means Halloween for me.  Scary stories, chocolate, costumes – what’s not to love!  So, as the days grow shorter and cooler, here are some suggestions for the change in weather.  I’ll read a creepy story any time of the year, but these titles make you want to curl up with a strange, mysterious or frightening book.

Steampunk!  An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
Edited by Kelly Link & Gavin Grant

This book from Candlewick Press is a collection of short stories with Steampunk-ish themes.  Each tale is by a different author who approach the genre a bit differently.  This makes the book a great way to discover new authors and ideas.  The only downside, really, is that if you really love a story or writer, it can be a bit of a tease.  It’s kind of amazing to see how many imaginary worlds, just in touch with reality, are inspired by these writers.   Far less important but just as enjoyable are the small illustrations that adorn the pages and change with each story.
One of my favorite tales in the collection is The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor by Delia Sherman.  It marries beautifully the advanced mechanisms of the genre with a romantic ghost story.  I was also drawn to The Summer People which is set a surreal-yet-somehow-believable world of an Appalachia with small clockwork fairy-like creatures.  
Read samples and learn more: http://strangeandfascinating.com/
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Believing is Seeing: Observations on the Mysteries of Photography
By Errol Morris

For the more academically-minded but still interested in a something illuminating, check out this handsome compilation of essays by Errol Morris.  While most items have been published elsewhere as serial entries, this brings them all together on large, well-designed pages with great reproductions of the photographs that are examined.
These series of articles investigate the veracity not only of photographs but also our perceptions of them.  Since the birth of the medium, there has been an association of truth with photograph.  Morris expounds on how the camera can lie through technical means like perspective and parallax as well as a choices made by the photographer.  
The best of the series is one called “Whose Father Was He?” in which he retraced an investigation around a photograph of three children found on the body of a Civil War solider.  

Reproduction of the photo
This photograph was reprinted in dozens of newspapers at the time, trying to identify the children.  Morris tracks the story with the determination of a bloodhound, all the while ruminating on why this particular story of tragedy to captured a nation.  
Other essays, while in depth, delve into the abstruse and seem distracted.  Indeed, every once in awhile Morris seems to be tooting his own horn rather than letting the photography and ideas lead him.
Read up on Morris and his other projects here:  http://errolmorris.com/
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Many thanks to the folks at Candlewick Press and The Penguin Press for the review copies.
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ALSO, watch for my upcoming review of MURDER ON THE FIRST-CLASS CARRIAGE: THE FIRST VICTORIAN RAILWAY KILLING by Kate Colquhoun.  It goes live 10/21.

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I’m Thankful For …

by mwgerard Posted on November 27, 2010

The friends and family I get to see every year at the fair.  It is comforting to have a reunion in a place as lovely and peaceful as Greenup, Illinois — especially in the summer.

Books.  I can never have too many.  I love them so much my “dining room” is actually a library.
Old movies.  It is reassuring every once in awhile to revisit a classic film – when people dressed well, used grammar and looked fabulous.  Also when they all knew the words and steps to a song they’d never heard before.

Surprises.  It’s hard to get me as I am fairly observant, but that’s why I appreciate it all the more when someone manages to surprise me.

Tea.  I’m not sure I could go on without it.  It keeps me awake, calms me down, warms me up and cools me off.  It’s wonderful.
Halloween.  It’s my favorite holiday, for a number of reasons.  It makes it ok to look at the “dark” side and have fun with it.  Scary stories, history, ghosts, and candy.  But mostly I think I like it because it hasn’t been *too* ruined by commercial enterprises.  A little mascara as a moustache and you have a costume.  Plus, Poe rules.

Poe.  See above.

The 1893 World’s Fair.  It brought Chicago to the forefront, inspired a world and showcased dozens of inventions (including the Ferris Wheel).

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REVIEW: Voltaire’s Calligrapher by Pablo De Santis

by mwgerard Posted on October 5, 2010
Translated by Lisa Carter
This is the perfect Halloween read.  It is smart, sharp and dry — like a fine cheese.   It leaves you wanting more, but with the knowledge that it is perfect as it is.
The basic premise, without reveals the twists that make it so lovely, is that calligraphers, of the early 18th century as an occupation, are an endangered species.  The widespread use of the printing press threatens to make them obsolete.  A constantly shifting empire found these professionals dangling at the ends of nooses. 
The narrator happens to be a calligrapher for the playwright Voltaire.  Yet his adventures range further than escaping a hangman or sustaining employment.  He uncovers a steampunk wonder, with a sinister twist.
http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2008/11/27/steampunk-horror-shortcuts/

Again, trying to preserve the magic of this novella, I refrain from revealing too many details.  So let me say this: if you like anything by Poe, Perfume by Patrick Suskind, Sherlock Holmes, Alexandre Dumas, Guy de Maupassant, or The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox.  Yes.  All of those.  And I’m sure more that I haven’t thought of.  But to put it more simply – read it.  It’s amazing, fun and has me looking forward to De Santis’ next work.

Many thanks to the folks at HarperCollins for the review copy.

ISBN: 9780061479885; ISBN10: 0061479888; Imprint: Harper Perennial; On Sale: 10/5/2010; Format: Trade PB; Trimsize: 5 5/16 x 8; Pages: 160; $14.99; Ages: 18 and Up

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